Two new swimming docks opening on Ottawa River this summer
The NCC will launch unsupervised swimming access on both sides of the river near downtown by summer.
The National Capital Commission is opening two new swimming docks on the Ottawa River as temperatures rise this summer. One dock will be on the Quebec side behind the Canadian Museum of History; the other will attach to the East Wharf platform near the Rideau Canal Locks on the Ontario side.
The move responds to strong interest in public waterfront spaces — the NCC recorded more than one million visits to its flagship waterfront sites last summer. A year ago, the commission opened an unsupervised dock at Dow's Lake in Commissioner's Park.
The new docks will be unsupervised, though the NCC says additional details about hours and access will be shared on its social media and website. Both sites will give swimmers river views and proximity to downtown.